Elucigene targets US for next stage of export drive

THE Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester has praised the brilliant endeavour and teamwork at Elucigene Diagnostics as he presented the fast-growing molecular diagnostics company with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2018.

The Lord-Lieutenant, Warren Smith, was guest of honour at a ceremony at Elucigene’s Citylabs 1.0 headquarters in Manchester, also attended by employees, partners and advisers.

Describing the award as a “remarkable achievement,” the Lord-Lieutenant said: “These awards are not easily earned. This year 152 Awards for international trade have been made nationally, 15 in the North West and this is one of five in Greater Manchester.

“The award is not to an individual, not to the management but to the whole workforce. It does, however, reflect outstanding vision, creativity, sound management, good communication and enthusiastic and loyal workforce.

“If one word encapsulates it, it is teamwork, and I hope that this award will be of tangible benefit to Elucigene Diagnostics in the future.

“Both your competitors and your customers will recognise this as a major achievement, and it is certainly a high standard to live up to but it is an incentive to make even further progress in the years ahead.”

In response, Elucigene Diagnostics’ Chief Executive Mark Street-Docherty said the company, which has grown from just five staff to 31 in the last four years, has ambitious plans for further export-led growth.

“We are very proud of the Queen’s Award, but we are not standing still. We have our sights set on launching our cystic fibrosis product in the United States in the next 12-18 months. The US is the world’s largest healthcare market so there is a very substantial opportunity for us there.

“We also have some ground-breaking and innovative companion diagnostics products to bring to market in the next six months, which is also extremely exciting.”

Mr Street-Docherty dedicated the Queen’s Award to the team, and also thanked the Department for International Trade and Greater Manchester Chamber’s international trade team for the “fantastic support and advice” they have provided the business in supporting its international growth strategy which has seen it export to more than 50 countries around the world.